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OTTAWA, June 25 /CNW Telbec/ - Sussex Research, a leader in advanced
glycosylation chemistry and carbohydrate synthesis, today announced that it
now manufactures the rare bacterial saccharide, Pseudaminic Acid, along with
its nucleotide activated form, CMP-Pseudaminic Acid. These unique saccharides
are currently available commercially to researchers worldwide.
Pseudaminic Acid (Pse)
(5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-L-glycero-(alpha)-L-manno-nonulosonic
acid) is a sialic acid-like, nine-carbon saccharide that was first identified
in the lipopolysaccharides (LPS) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 1984. The sugar
modification has since been observed in several other organisms including the
gastrointestinal pathogens Helicobacter pylori and Campylobacter jejuni. The
Pse saccharides are thought to influence pathogenesis through bacterial
adhesion, invasion, and immune evasion. Pseudaminic Acid has been found in
Gram-negative bacterial cell-surface glycoconjugates, such as LPS, capsular
polysaccharide, pili and flagella, all of which are important for
pathogenesis.
Pseudaminic Acid is unique to bacteria. Many of the bacteria with which
Pse has been identified, such as H. Pylori, are associated with serious
gastrointestinal diseases that afflict millions of people worldwide. Because
of this, its biosynthetic pathway offers potential as a novel therapeutic
target and for future small molecule inhibitor screening and design.
"As a carbohydrate synthesis specialist, the Sussex mandate is to help
researchers explore and exploit glycobiology. By making Pseudaminic Acid and
its derivative available commercially, Sussex will help advance studies on
bacteria that contain this modification," said Dr. Brady Clark, President of
Sussex Research. "Research with these products may eventually lead to
alternative treatments for those suffering from infectious diseases where
Pseudaminic Acid plays a role in their pathogenesis. We are delighted to make
these important sugars available to researchers."
About Sussex Research:
Sussex Research excels in the design, development and manufacture of
novel molecules that incorporate glycotechnology. Sussex carbohydrate-based
products and services enable researchers to explore and exploit glycobiology
via facile introduction of carbohydrate recognition elements in biological
molecules such as glycopeptides. The Sussex portfolio of advanced
glycosylation products and carbohydrate building blocks enables assembly of
oligosaccharides, glycoconjugates and carbohydrate-enhanced molecules. Sussex
expertise and custom carbohydrate manufacturing capabilities advance external
collaborations in drug discovery, therapeutic development and vaccine design.
Sussex Research is the resource for glycosylation and carbohydrate synthesis.
For more information, please visit www.sussex-research.com.